


Broken Home

by DrownedTrying



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: F/F, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-11
Updated: 2017-04-10
Packaged: 2018-08-08 02:35:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,853
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7740124
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DrownedTrying/pseuds/DrownedTrying
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Nathanaël is struggling to stay alive and Adrien saves him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

Small clouds of light gray smoke rolled into the inky darkness of Paris’ night sky. The air surrounding one of the many bridges that littered the city smelt of nicotine. The young man who held the cancer stick stared blankly into the dark depths of the river that passed through his home town. Recent memories of his father screaming obscenities at him, his father throwing alcohol bottles, both with and without their contents, at him, and him sneaking out of his broken home around one in the morning filled his troubled mind. A small breeze sent chills down the seventeen year old’s spine, to which he responded with another drag from his cigarette.

Nathanaël sighed, flicking the ashes to the ground. It had only been a year since his mother divorced his father. He remembered all the yelling and screaming, the papers for the divorce resting innocently on the kitchen counter. His mother had become pregnant, but not by his father. Nathanaël remembered having his suspicions about his mother and how she wasn’t as loving to her husband as before, but he never dreamt that they would come true. When he told his father about his previous suspicions, his father grew angry, yelling that it’s all Nathanaël’s fault that his mother’s cheating was a secret and how that if he told his father sooner, all of this wouldn’t be happening.

It wasn’t long before the whole school knew about his mom. He was given dirty looks by everyone in his class, save for Rose and Juleka. He could handle the rumors of who his mom might’ve slept with, and whether she had one partner or multiple. He could handle Chloe shoving him down the steps that led to the high school, and he could handle Kim destroying his artwork. What he couldn’t handle was Marinette’s reaction. At first, she had looked sympathetic towards him, and even brought him a blueberry scone. But after a week or so, she began to wrinkle her nose in disgust when their eyes met, and all together avoided him. His crush on the blue haired girl crushed him, and he soon began to resent everyone, including her. Rose and Juleka were a different story, however. No matter how much he tried to push them away, they refused to leave his side. 

Nathanaël remembered when he tried his first cigarette. It was during lunch when he went to the back of the school, carefully looking around. He had been able to snatch a cig from his father, who was luckily passed out drunk on the living room couch. With shaking hands, he flicked the lighter on, but the lighter dropped when he attempted to light the cancer stick. It took the redhead a few tries before he was finally able to light the cigarette. He remembered sucking in the smoke, but before he could exhale, Rose and Juleka turned the corner. Juleka had merely gasped, her hands covering her mouth. Rose started to scream at him, which was rare for the extremely shy blonde. Nathanaël’s cyan eyes grew to the size of saucers when she pounded her small, pale hands against his thin chest. While she was hitting him, Rose finally broke down sobbing, falling to her knees. Nathanaël could only watch as Juleka hugged her girlfriend tightly, a sad expression on her face. The red head felt nothing. Though the smoke burned his lungs, he couldn’t bring himself to try to cough it out. In a way, the burning feeling soothed him; it took away the emotional pain. It gave him something to focus on, rather than focusing on the bruises from his father’s kicks and punches, along with his sore muscles from defending his face and torso from Kim’s brutal hits. Without saying another word, Nathanaël turned away from them, putting the cigarette to his pink lips once more.

Back at the bridge, Nathanaël put out his shrunken cigarette, but pulled out the box to grab another one. What he hadn’t noticed was the green eyed figure clad in a black leather catsuit sitting on a roof across the river. Cat Noir watched his classmate closely, his cat ears lowered sadly. He had heard the rumors in the previous year, and he couldn’t help but feel bad for him, but Cat, rather, Adrien, couldn’t do anything. Every time he tried to get close, Nathanaël would just shut him out. Adrien would quickly leave the classroom and wait for his blue-eyed classmate, but once Nathanaël left the school, Adrien would lose him, being distracted by Marinette clumsily attempting to talk to him or ask him out, Nino dragging him away to talk about various stuff, Chloe attempting to kiss him, and Natalie calling him to the car for his photo shoots. There was only one time where Adrien managed to get away from the crowd, running after Nathanaël. Nathanaël was completely oblivious to the model calling his name, Jagged Stone blasting at the highest volume in his ears. He hadn’t noticed the blonde’s dejected look as he went inside, glad that his drunken and abusive father was not at home. The only good thing that came out of this, Adrien figured, is that he’d be able to watch after Nathanaël as Cat Noir. 

That was their junior year of high school.

In their senior year, they weren’t in the same class. Adrien had fought tooth and nail to either be transferred into Nathanaël’s class, or Nathanaël into his. However, both classes were filled to the brim, and there was no way they’d be able to interact. Nathanaël wouldn’t talk to him, or anyone, for that matter, and Adrien was always bustled around by his classmates, Nino, his modeling job, or as Cat Noir. However, he always made time in the middle of the night to check on the artist. When he had first discovered that Nathanaël’s father abused him, he immediately threw up. Bile and stomach acid burned his throat as tears streamed his cheeks. Without a second glance, he rushed home, not wanting anyone to see him crying, much less reveal that he was technically spying on Nathanaël. Adrien’s first instinct was to go to his own father, but he was away on a business trip. Natalie was the one to comfort him, his head in her pajama-clad lap as he sobbed. Natalie tiredly ran her fingers through his disheveled hair. However, she had promised that she would contact the authorities to investigate. Satisfied and completely cried-out, Adrien nodded and let Natalie go back to bed.

He couldn’t sleep, though. Nathanaël crying out, begging for his father to stop beating him echoed through the blonde’s mind. He visibly flinched when Nathanaël’s screams and sobs exploded through his head. Adrien curled up into fetal position, hugging his pillow close to his body as sobs jerked his body. Plagg had said nothing, but had curled up next to his friend. On the following Monday, Adrien looked around for Nathanaël, but didn’t see the artist. Worried, Adrien went to class. It was when he was leaving for home at the end of the day that he saw Nathanaël. Instead of sighing in relief, Adrien let out a choked sob. One of Nathanaël’s arms was broken, and he limped heavily on his right leg. Adrien noticed that there was a deep purple, nearly black, bruise on his neck that was obviously spread to his back, but was hidden behind his jacket. As if feeling Adrien’s eyes, Nathanaël turned and glared at the model, somehow knowing that Adrien was the one to have the cops check out his home environment, which led to his father blaming him for calling the cops. With tears streaming down his cheeks, Adrien turned and sprinted out of the building, nearly tripping down the stairs as he ran to the silver car that waited for him. 

Cat Noir sighed at the memory. Watching Nathanaël destroy himself with drugs, alcohol, and self harm never got easier, but it began to give him ideas on how to help the artist. He never tried to call the cops on Nathanaël’s father, nor did he try to show up as Cat Noir, not wanting to see Nathanaël with another broken arm. Soft mumbling caught his attention, and Cat found himself leaning towards the artist to hear what he was saying.

“Fuck my stupid fucking life,” Nathanaël growled softly, his blue eyes glaring coldly into the river. “Just because my mom slept with the fucking mayor doesn’t mean everything that goes wrong in _his_ life is _my_ fault. Just because I have my mom’s stupid personality and her ugly fucking looks doesn’t mean I’ll betray everyone, much less cheat on anyone. So fuck my life.” Cat’s eyes widened in shock. He had heard the rumors about Nathanaël’s mom being with the mayor, but there were so many floating around, even to this day, thanks to Little Miss Bitch, Chloe. With a frustrated sigh, Nathanaël stood, tossing his burning cigarette into the river. “Whatever. It’ll all be over soon, anyways.”

Cat Noir watched as Nathanaël walked away into the darkness without another word.


	2. Chapter One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a warning: there are suicidal mentions toward the end of the chapter. This will not be a happy story in the beginning, but it gets better. I promise.
> 
> -DrownedTrying

School was just another obstacle in Nathanaël's life, between working at the art museum, shadowing a well known artist, and his home life. What he did in his spare time was his passion: drawing. He drew everything from wildlife to buildings to Paris’ superheros. He couldn't say he disliked them, but he couldn't care much for them, either. After he was attacked by an akuma in the tenth grade, Ladybug and Cat Noir never checked to see if he was okay, not like he had seen them do to the other victims of the attack. Instead, he was left in Chloe’s room, confused and unsure of how he had gotten there. He could only guess that he had targeted the mayor's daughter for making fun of his art. 

When he had finally made it home, his mother had immediately hugged him and asked if he was okay. Her son's face was everywhere on the news, the news lady expressing her sympathy and begging Ladybug and Cat Noir to put a stop to this madness Hawkmoth continues to cause. But when Nathanaël had seen what he had done due to surveillance cameras in Chloe's room and by the river, he was shocked at himself. Not once had he thought that he could harm another human being, and the fact that he had tried to kill Marinette and Cat Noir by drowning horrified him. His Marinette had almost died because of him. Because he couldn't control himself and because he had let himself become vulnerable enough to be a target for an akuma. 

The next day at school, everyone was somewhat kinder to him. Kim didn't tease the artist as much, and Alix offered to teach him how to skate. Nathanaël knew that each of the students had their own personal experience with an akuma attack, so no hard feelings were felt. Well, except for Chloe. Then again, Nathanaël figured, she was always a bitch. But the main problem was Marinette. She avoided eye contact with him, though she'd usually offer him a friendly wave or a bright smile. Instead, when he had asked her what was wrong, she jumped and apologized for avoiding him. 

“I guess I'm still a bit wary about what happened last night,” was her response. 

Nathanaël didn't understand. Even though he'd explain it to her a handful of times, she wouldn't just believe that he couldn't remember most of what had happened. That, or she simply didn't care. Besides, why would _she_ care about _him_? The bluette was too busy gazing and fantasizing about that damn model, Adrien Agreste. 

Nathanaël could understand why Marinette liked him so much. Adrien was athletic. Adrien was talented. Adrien was handsome. Adrien was well liked. Adrien was rich. Adrien was outgoing. Adrien was this, Adrien was that. 

Blah, blah, _blah_. 

Truth be told, Nathanaël was sick and tired of hearing Marinette gush to Alya about how amazing this one guy is. He was sick of not being any of those things, and he was sick of not being good enough for anyone.

Nathanaël hated exercising. Nathanaël’s only talent was drawing or painting. Nathanaël was considered to be average in the appearance factor. Nathanaël was an outcast. Nathanaël wasn't rich. Nathanaël is shy. He's everything Marinette never wanted. And that hurt.

A lot.

At some point, Nathanaël grew to accept that he wasn't going to be with anyone. He accepted that he'd live alone on the outskirts of some random town in the woods, painting each wall of his house by hand, and of whatever came to mind. He accepted that he didn't live in anyone's fantasies, and that he'd grow old without a child or grandchildren surrounding him at Christmas time, nor when he was laying on his deathbed. He couldn't see anyone daydreaming and doodling his name on the corner of their homework, sighing dreamily as they thought about his fire red hair and sea green eyes. He couldn't picture anyone getting butterflies in his stomach when he smiled shyly at them, or inwardly grinned and squealed when he'd look their way. He was just, well, _Nathanaël_ , and he wasn't going to be important to anyone anytime soon. And he was okay with it. No one noticed him, anyways. No one except for Juleka and Rose, he supposed. Nathanaël figured that they'd be the only ones to show up at his funeral, no matter how soon it may be. 

Lost in his thoughts, Nathanaël hadn't noticed he was about to run into someone before it was too late. His sketchbook went flying, and though he had opted it his top priority, picking up the papers and books for the student he had ran into was the first thing he did, due to his mother raising him with being thoughtful for others. Even if he _did_ despise everyone in that damn school. Besides, only seven more months and he was outta there, baby. Nathanaël jumped slightly when a pair of orange shoes came into his vision. Slowly trailing his eyes up, he took in the new blue jeans, an opened white hoodie, a black shirt with three different colored stripes on it, the silver necklace, pale skin, and blonde hair. 

Adrien.

The teenager, having grown out his hair slightly and leaving it unkempt, was looking through Nathanaël's sketchbook. Without his permission.

“What the actual fuck, Agreste,” Nathanaël growled, hardly surprised at the bite in his tone. Adrien jumped, his light green eyes snapping to meet angry cyan eyes. Nathanaël stood, clenching his jaw and curling his hands into fists.

“Is this what you draw, Nathanaël?” Adrien asked softly, completely ignoring the redhead’s question. Nathanaël thrust a slightly shaking hand out, glaring at the blonde model, faintly noticing that he was taller than Adrien. 

“Give me. The fucking sketchbook,” Nathanaël seethed through his teeth, his lean frame trembling from anger. He didn't notice the other students stopping and pulling their phones out, either to videotape the fight that was sure to start, or to tell their friends to hurry their asses up so they can see what's going on.

“Is this how you really feel?” Adrien tried again, holding the sketchbook close, blinking away some tears. Nathanaël took a warning step towards the model, his eyes blazing angrily.

“What does it matter to _you_?” Adrien blinked again, his throat closing up. He as Cat Noir knew how bad things had gotten for his former classmate, but he didn't know that Nathanaël was about to take it one step farther.

“Do you really want to die?” he asked, his voice meek. Adrien realized that unless he got away from him, he'd either start screaming at the redhead, or he'd start crying. After his mom disappearing, he really didn't want to see someone he considered a friend die.

“Why would _you_ care, Mr. I'm-All-That? You don't know a _damn_ thing about me,” Nathanaël hissed. When Adrien froze, Nathanaël seized the opportunity to snatch his precious sketchbook away. Without another word, he huffed and stormed down the steps, yanking his phone from his front pocket.

Nathanaël: Juleka, tell the teach I'm at home sick. I need to get away for a while.

Juleka: ok, b safe, u hear?

Nathanaël: Whatever.

Adrien watched, tears pouring down his cheeks. Flashes of Nathanaël’s sketches passed before his eyes, each one more gruesome than before. Every single page was filled with sketches of Nathanaël winding up dead, from hanging on a noose, to drowning himself in the river, to cutting open his wrists and slitting his neck, to even electrifying himself with a toaster and his bathtub. The last page, however, caught the blonde's eye. A page showing Nathanaël's headstone, which revealed one important piece of information.

The day Nathanaël planned to kill himself. 

With a knowing look from Nino, Adrien sprinted down the steps and took after Nathanaël, a single thought running through his mind as he looked for the artist.

He had to change Nathanaël's mind before it was too late.


	3. Chapter Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know how you guys like the story so far! We're not out of the muck yet, but things are beginning to calm down for Adrien and Nathanaël. Again, let me know what you guys think! I love hearing from you all!
> 
> -DrownedTrying

“Nathanaël? Nathanaël, where are you?” Adrien called, looking around. Paris wasn't as busy in November as it was in the summer, but that didn't mean tourists didn't come to the City of Love. Adrien had managed to follow the artist a little ways, but had lost sight of him by the Notre Dame. He considered turning into Cat Noir, but with the amount of tourists around, he decided it was best if he stayed in his civilian form.

“Oh, hello there, Mr. Agreste. How are you today?” Roger asked. Adrien looked up at the police officer and felt a rush of relief flow over him.

“Thank god I found you. Have you seen Nathanaël Kurtzberg?” he asked. Roger thought for a moment before nodding.

“Yeah, I think so. He was headed towards the Montmarte. You know where that is, right?” Adrien scrunched his nose in thought.

“That's one of the art museums, am I right?” Adrien asked. Roger nodded once more.

“Yep, sure is. It has many paintings from Van Gogh, Picasso-” the cop started.

“Okay, okay, cool. That's great. Where can I find it? I'm kind of in a rush,” Adrien rushed, nearly running in place. Roger turned and pointed towards a store.

“Once to get there, take a left, and about a block or two down, take a right, and it should be there. Say, shouldn't you be in school?” Roger’s question was left unanswered as Adrien sped towards the store, following the cop's directions. He nearly sighed in relief when he saw the museum, but mentally decided that he didn't have time for it. He bought his ticket and went inside, looking for his former classmate.

“Nathanaël…? Are you here?” Adrien called out quietly, not wanting to disturb the many tourists that littered the building. He saw numerous paintings, ranging from oil paintings to watercolor, to those weird splashy paintings. Adrien didn't know what they were called, and quite frankly, he didn't give a shit. 

Adrien passed by a hall, but quickly backtracked. Sitting on one of the benches with a green sketchbook in his lap was Nathanaël. The redhead was silently sketching the scene around him, oblivious of the model searching for him. 

Adrien watched him for a bit, mesmerized by the calm look on Nathanaël’s face, how his shoulders were relaxed and he was seemingly content drawing what he saw. It took a few moments before he looked over, noticing the boy staring at him. Nathanaël stood, grabbing his bag to leave.

“Wait, Nathanaël, don't! I just want to talk to you!” Adrien cried, reaching for the artist. Said artist stopped and turned to him, the calm look on his face replaced with anger.

“What now? Can't you see I want to be alone?” he snapped, hugging his sketchbook close. He knew it was a mistake carrying it around, but he could barely afford to buy a new one without his father screaming at him in his drunken state.

“I know you do, but please...just come have lunch with me, okay? That's all I'm asking for,” Adrien said timidly, almost as if he were talking to a wild animal. He might as well be talking to a red fox about to attack him. Nathanaël narrowed his eyes and pursed his lips in thought.

“Fine. But after this, you better leave me alone, got it?” Nathanaël growled, cautiously walking towards the model. Adrien let out that sigh of relief he had been holding in for almost 30 minutes, relaxing his tense shoulders. Within the hour, they had found a small restaurant to eat at. It was a beautiful, Italian themed restaurant. 

That or Greek, Adrien couldn't really tell. Though he had more freedom, as to go to a public school and such, he still didn't have the opportunity to visit different cultured restaurants, much to his dismay.

“So, why'd you follow me here,” Nathanaël deadpanned once he ordered his drink. Adrien blinked, his throat suddenly feeling dry.

“W-Well..uhm…” he began.

“Is it because of my drawings?” Nathanaël narrowed his eyes at the blonde, frowning when he nodded.

“To be honest, yeah...Listen, I know that things are bad right now, but-”

“‘Bad’ doesn't even start it,” Nathanaël snapped, cutting off the model. Adrien froze, eyes wide as he stared at the redhead. “You have no fucking clue what I go through at home, do you? No, you probably don't, seeing that you're living the life everyone wants. You probably waste your money on worthless shit like jewelry or shoes or crap that you don't even need, much less want. I'm salvaging every penny I own to pay for _food._ I don't see you doing that, now do you? I bet you don't even know what it's like to live with a drunken parent, a parent who treats you more like a slave than their own child while your other parent's going off and spreading her legs to anything with a dick. You don't know what it feels like, and you never will.”

Adrien swallowed thickly, trying to force that lump in his throat down. He looked away from the enraged teen, willing the tears in his emerald eyes to go away by blinking, but they didn't listen. Instead, they slid silently down his cheeks, and he found himself sniffling.

“You're wrong,” Adrien finally muttered. He could feel the air grow more tense as Nathanaël leaned forward, his palms flat on the table.

“ _Excuse me?!_ ” Nathanaël hissed, his eyes blazing with hatred. Adrien slowly turned to him, but couldn't meet his eyes. Instead, he found the table more interesting. So interesting, he began to play with the light blue table cloth.

“You're wrong,” Adrien repeated, this time a little louder. When he was met with silence, he continued. “I don't live the life everyone thinks I live. My whole day is scheduled by what my father wants, and I have no freedom. I haven't been to a public school for long, this is my third year. Hell, I can't even leave the house to go to a restaurant. Why bother, my father would say, when we have a top chef working in our own kitchen? I don't even see my father every day. I'm lucky to see him once a week without him barking orders at me. I don't buy whatever I want. I own maybe ten shirts that I actually care enough to wear. I maybe have five pairs of jeans. I refuse to let my father buy me any clothes, because if I did, it'd be to show how much ‘better’ we are than everyone. In a way, I'm like a slave to my father, too. But my mom-” Adrien broke off, unable to stop the shuddering sob. Nathanaël had grown quiet, watching this popular boy unravel and break down right before his eyes.

“My mom,” Adrien whispered, “has been missing for four years now. We have no idea where she is, what she's doing, or if she's even _alive_. All I remember of my mom is that one day she was at home, playing videogames with me, and the next, she was gone. She disappeared without a trace. The next morning, we received a ransom note, saying that if we didn't send one million dollars to this random warehouse, we'd never see her again. We did everything they told us to, but...” Adrien stared at his lap, tears rolling down his chin and beginning to make their journey down his neck. “She wasn't seen again,” he whispered. 

Nathanaël stared in shock. Not once had he guessed that this boy would have gone through something like this. He couldn't even form words, his mouth just gaping open and closing, before falling open again.

“I should just leave,” Adrien muttered, standing. A pale hand catching his wrist stopped him.

“No. Please, no. I don't think either of us should be alone,” Nathanaël rushed, trembling slightly. Adrien studied him for a moment before nodding, sitting back down.

“Alright…” Adrien smiled weakly. “Who's your favorite artist?”

■□■□■□■□

Adrien and Nathanaël spent roughly two hours at the restaurant, talking about anything and everything. Adrien learned that Nathanaël was allergic to any form of seafood while Nathanaël learned that Adrien was fluent in roughly 14 different languages. All in all, it was the first time Nathanaël felt accepted, wanted, needed. He enjoyed his time spent with his new...friend? Nathanaël mentally shrugged. Maybe it would be pretty cool to have another friend. One who cared.

Then again, Adrien could be just playing him.

That thought was quickly shoved to the back of Nathanaël’s mind, but he still questioned Adrien’s motive. Why was he suddenly interested in Nathanaël's life? Since when did he care? Why now, of all times? Why not right after he was akumatized?

“Seriously, man. You're welcome to stay anytime you want,” Adrien finished, looking up at the redhead. Said redhead blinked.

“What were you saying?” Nathanaël questioned. Adrien laughed softly, facepalming.

“I said that you can stay anytime you want at my house. Hell, move in if you want. I'm pretty sure my dad would be cool about it if I asked him. I'm not letting you stay with your dad, okay?” The artist stared at the model before breaking into a huge grin. 

“Thanks, man! That's pretty cool of you! Actually,” Nathanaël said, looking at his wrist watch, “let's go to my place now. Dad won't be home until ten, and I want to be gone before he gets back. Think you can have one of your bodyguards help us?” he questioned, looking over at Adrien. The blonde smiled and nodded, quickly texting someone

“Yeah, they'll meet us there in ten with a moving truck. Let's hurry up so we don't have to stay long, okay?”

□■□■□■□■

Nathanaël sat on the crisp, clean sheets of his new bed, testing how comfortable he would be sleeping. It had taken the two teenagers, plus three of Adrien’s bodyguards, almost two hours to grab everything Nathanaël didn't want to leave behind. It turned out that Gabriel Agreste was okay with allowing Nathanaël to live in his mansion, seeing that Adrien could use the company. He especially agreed when he discovered from Natalie of what was going on in Nathanaël's home.

Nathanaël’s stomach grumbled, and when he heard the call to eat dinner, he jumped off his bed and made a beeline to the door. He made it halfway down the stairs before a very familiar-sounding voice boomed, echoing off the walls of the mansion. Nathanaël felt his blood run cold and his heart skip a few beats. A cold sweat began to coat his skin, and his hands began to shake. He didn't think that the one person he least expected to look for him would find him here. He peeked around the corner of the wall concealing part of the stairs to see two men, one standing straight with his hands folded behind his back, and another red in the face, looking as if he would kill the other in a heartbeat. Nathanaël’s eyes widened in fear as he saw his dad, suddenly feeling very faint.

“Where the fuck is my son?!”


	4. Chapter Three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait! I was in Louisiana to deal with some family issues, and I also gained another huge responsibility. I adopted a deaf, white boxer to be my service dog, and her name's Sapphira :3 she's 3 months old, and she doesn't like the cold weather up here in the northwest xD Enjoy the chapter! Remember, I love hearing feedback, and thank you to Wiley for the idea!!

“I assure you, Mr. Kurtzberg, that I have no idea where your son is,” Gabriel stated with unblinking gray eyes. The other male growled dangerously, his brown eyes blazing in anger.

 

“That’s a fucking lie and you know it, Agreste! Either you tell him to get his shit and come home, or I’ll drag that worthless piece of shit home myself!” the male screamed, his face turning an even brighter shade of red. Gabriel sighed, adjusting the cuffs on his sleeves.

 

“Is that so?” he coolly asked, not meeting Nathanaël's father’s eyes. Said man puffed out his chest, attempting to appear intimidating, but only looked like a fool in the designer’s eyes.

 

“Yes it is! I’ll give that little mistake five minutes to pack everything. I’ll be waiting in the car.” With that, Mr. Kurtzberg stormed out of the mansion. Gabriel rubbed the bridge of his nose, turning to retreat up the stairs.

 

“Are you really going to make me go back?” a small voice whimpered. Gabriel looked up to see Nathanaël on the stairs, his face pale and fear in his eyes. Gabriel straightened his back.

 

“Of course not. I will not allow any friend of Adrien’s to return to a home like that,” Gabriel replied, his voice stern. Nathanaël flinched slightly, but gave a small smile. Gabriel returned it for a moment before frowning once more. “If you’ll excuse me, I have a call to make. Why don’t you join Adrien for dinner?” The redhead nodded before finding his way to the dining room. Adrien sat at the end of the table, silently reading. The blonde looked up as Nathanaël sat at the other end of the table.

 

“Oh, hey Nath. Why are you sitting all the way over there?” Adrien questioned, tilting his head slightly. The artist jumped slightly, his mind having wandered to the recent events.

 

“U-Uhm...I don’t know, really...Probably to not bother you as much? I don’t know,” Nathanaël admitted. Adrien surprised him by laughing softly.

 

“You should know by now that you don’t bother me. We’re having ratatouille tonight, if you don’t mind.” Adrien smiled slightly at him, not noticing how Nathanaël's cheeks reddened slightly. Nathanaël sighed and stood, taking a seat next to the model.

 

After their meal was finished with playful bickering and small talk, both boys retreated to Adrien’s room to play a round or two of Ultimate Mecha Strike III. Nathanaël notices that Adrien used the same character, NAD03, the day he beat Max in the competition. Rolling his eyes with a smug smirk on his face, Nathanaël chooses UFO.GR.

 

“Aw man, _him?!_ Playing for blood, are we?” Adrien teased. The smirk on the artist’s face only grew.

 

“At least I’m not playing as a pussy.” Adrien’s jaw practically hit the floor as Nathanaël burst out laughing. It took Nathanaël a few minutes to compose himself, wiping tears from his eyes.

 

“...You’ve changed quite a bit over the years,” Adrien observed outloud. Nathanaël went quiet, looking down at the floor. “It’s a good thing!” Adrien rushed, noticing the change in his friend’s aura.

 

“Sometimes, I’m not too sure if it is or not,” the redhead murmured. With a sigh, he forced a smile to form on his lips. “I bet I can kick your ass, pretty boy.” With a challenging grin, Adrien picked up his controller.

 

“You’re on, Van Gogh.” The duo spent numerous hours battling each other, yelling insults, trying to obstruct each other’s vision by leaning in front of their line of sight, and playfully shoving each other. After the umpteenth battle, Adrien put down his controller and stretched.

 

“Had enough?” Nathanaël sneered playfully, smirking at him. Adrien let out a laugh, throwing his head back slightly. His former classmate watched with wide cyan eyes, pink dusting his cheeks. He quickly looks away, swallowing thickly.

 

 _Idiot! What the hell are you doing?!_ he mentally screamed at himself. _You can’t just think someone like_ him _is attractive! What are you, stupid?!_ Nathanaël frowned at his thoughts, knowing that the little annoying voice in his head was right. He can’t just think someone like Adrien is attractive, even if he _is_ the hottest guy he’s ever met.

 

Wait, what?

 

“So, got any girlfriends?”Adrien asked, looking over at him while plopping a movie in. He didn’t look at the movie title, but based off of the picture, it had to be one of those American horror movies. Man, he loved those.

 

“You would think that someone like you would be properly educated on grammar,” Nathanaël teased, pushing his thoughts to the back of his mind. 

 

“Ha, ha, very funny, Kurtzberg,” Adrien snorted, making a face at his friend. “But seriously, have you even dated anyone?”

 

“Nah, not really,” the redhead replied, fiddling with his controller. “No one really notices me, so I guess there's no point to it.” Adrien gave him a strange look.

 

“Why do you say that?” Nathanaël sighed, setting the controller on the coffee table. It was a moment of silence before he spoke.

 

“Back in tenth grade, Marinette knew I liked her, but she never saw me more than a classmate. Not even a friend, really. Just...just someone who was there, I guess. Then Lila came into the picture, but her main focus was to make my life miserable by doing what she does best: spreading lies about me. Once the whole thing about my mom cheating on my dad with the mayor got out to the public, I guess everyone assumed that I was no better than her,” he replied with a shrug. “It used to bother me, but not so much anymore.”

 

“Do you like anyone now? Don’t you want to date anyone?”Adrien pressed, scooting slightly closer. His stomach dropped when Nathanaël shook his head.

 

“Nah, it’s not my thing. I’ve pretty much accepted my fate of being a forever alone. It doesn’t bother me as much as you’d think,” Nathanaël chuckled. He finally looked over at Adrien. “What about you? Someone on your mind?” Adrien hesitated.

 

“Yeah, I guess you can say that,”Adrien replied slowly. Nathanaël grinned, turning his body so he completely faced him.

 

“Dude, you’ve gotta tell me. We can be like those weird girls and share secrets while we do each other’s hair and paint our nails,” he teased, grinning widely. Adrien laughed, facepalming. “But seriously, who is it?” 

 

“Well, I _used_ to have a huge crush on Ladybug,” the secret superhero admitted. This is the first time someone other than Plagg had learned of this, and the fact that he never told Nino gave him a twinge of guilt, but he brushed it off. Nino was too busy with his music and Alya, anyways. 

 

“Oh? Is there someone new?” Nathanaël questioned, his eyes wide in curiosity. Adrien froze, his mind traveling to his tenth grade memories.

 

_His first day of school. Adrien was excited, but also nervous. He never had anyone besides Natalie and his father, and occasionally the photographer his father hired. He could barely hear the teacher’s vice as he looked over at the students - no, his classmates. As a model, he had to learn to swallow his fears, so that’s just what he did._

_Adrien recognized Chloe immediately, and internally cringed. He wasn’t too fond of her, and the few meetings he had with her recently sent an unpleasant shiver down his spine. However, he was too polite to actually say something. He looked over the students one by one, and hardly missed the mob of bright red hair in the very back. Adrien blinked, his palms beginning to sweat. The redhead paid no attention to the teacher or to him whatsoever. His full, undivided attention was in a green book of some sort, where his pencil never seemed to leave the paper for long. He snapped out of his thoughts when his teacher told him to sit next to a male named “Nino.”_

_Throughout the year, Adrien noticed that although he was silent, he showed up to every event. Alix and Kim having their race, at Adrien’s birthday party, the gaming tournament, the voting of who gets to be class president, and so forth. He remembered being scared when he couldn’t find the redhead after Alix was akumatized, but was relieved when he found the artist hidden in a tree._

_Another memory flashed to the front of Adrien’s mind. He remembered when the Horrificator had grabbed him by the waist, Nathanaël’s terrified scream echoing through his mind. Adrien knew that he had to rescue the artist, along with his other friends, but Nathanaël was his number one priority._

_For the past three years, Adrien fought himself on who he should like._

_Ladybug, or Nathanaël Kurtzberg._

_Then again, he never knew Ladybug’s true identity, though they had spoken about revealing to each other. Adrien had an idea on who it was, but he wasn’t 100% sure. Sure, they may look alike, but Marinette and Ladybug had two very different personalities._

_Either way, it didn’t matter._

_Ladybug had a crush on someone else, so he was going to be a true gentleman and leave it alone._

 

“Yeah, there is,” Adrien smiled, staring off into space. Nathanaël immediately noticed this.

 

“Who is it?” Adrien blinked, his cheeks burning as he looked over at his friend.

 

“Ah...no one. Don’t worry about it, okay?” Before Nathanaël could respond, Adrien yawned loudly, stretching his arms over his head. “Welp, I’m beat. Why don’t we go to bed? We’re lucky we don’t have school for the next two days,” Adrien said with a sleepy smile. Nathanaël blinked hard, clumsily standing.

 

“O-oh, right! Bed! Of course! I should go to it-erm, go to bed! Yeah! Uh, night!” Adrien watched with amusement as the redhead practically ran out of the room.

 

“And _what_ was _that?!_ ” Plagg exclaimed, coming out of his hiding spot in Adrien’s shirt.

 

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Adrien said stubbornly, crossing his arms and frowning at his kwami. Plagg rolled his eyes, rummaging around for his precious camembert. 

 

“Yes you do, don’t try to hide it. You like the outcast, and you have for years. I may be ignorant to your silly love feelings, but I’m not stupid.” Adrien’s frown deepened before opening the can of stinky cheese, stripping down to his boxers and changing into his pajamas. As a last thought, he turned off his TV, the movie completely forgotten.

 

“Oh, shut up, you dumb little magic cat,” Adrien muttered.

 

“See? I knew it. You never get cross or all snippy with me unless I’m right,” Plagg pointed out, talking around the food in his mouth. Adrien rolled his eyes and climbed into bed, turning off the light afterwards.

 

“Whatever. Goodnight, Plagg, you arrogant bastard,” Adrien called softly, a yawn following after. Plagg smiled at his miraculous holder, curling up next to his head.

 

“Night, Adrien. See you in the morning.”

 

Meanwhile, Nathanaël was looking through the maze of the mansion to find his new room. However, Gabriel seemed to find him first.

 

“It is quite late at night. What are you doing wandering around the mansion?” Gabriel asked from behind the artist. Said artist jumped and turned to see the older man still clad in his suit.

 

“O-oh, sorry, sir. I’m trying to find my room,” Nathanaël mumbled in embarrassment. Gabriel nodded and turned towards the hall Nathanaël had come from.

 

“This way, boy.” The younger male nodded and followed Mr. Agreste down the hall. He made sure to make a mental note of every painting and statuette, careful to memorize every turn they made incase he got lost once more. “I have news on your father,” Gabriel spoke up. Nathanaël looked up at the male’s back, his cyan eyes wide.

 

“Was he arrested?” he asked, perhaps too much hope in his voice.

 

“Unfortunately, he was not. The police are searching for him as we speak.” Gabriel’s words hit Nathanaël like a ton of bricks. His heart pounded in his chest, and fear raced through veins.

 

“Wh-what happened…?” the redhead asked cautiously. Gabriel sighed softly through his nose.

 

“He fled after you did not arrive to his vehicle within his ridiculous time limit,” Gabriel explained. “He may have left Paris, but he also may be hiding somewhere in the alleys. I have bodyguards at every entrance, so do not be worried of him coming in. I have also made calls to your teachers to alert them of the danger. You will do your schoolwork here, and Adrien is to give you every lesson and piece of homework.” 

 

“Yes, sir,” Nathanaël said, nodding in understanding. Gabriel stopped at his door, turning to the male.

 

“Have a pleasant night, Nathanaël. Natalie will wake you at eight, so be prepared for breakfast.” With that, Gabriel Agreste turned and disappeared into the darkness that hid the hallways from sight. 

 

The artist watched as he left before yawning and entering his room. Too tired to shower, Nathanaël changed into his pajamas, crawling into the warm, comfortable bed. He looked out the window and watched the gray clouds move across the inky darkness known as the sky, the stars pinning the black sky back to keep it crashing to the ground. Nathanaël smiled sleepily, allowing his eyes to slip shut. However, he failed to notice one small detail.

 

A small, black and purple butterfly fluttering by his window.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gabriel has a hard time showing his love to his only son.


	5. Chapter Four

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it's been months, but here's another chapter! Almost 5,000 words, whew!
> 
> Now, I have a concern. While I appreciate some of you asking for a new chapter, it gets very irritating when you demand I put my work on another site or to update. I have been extremely busy, especially with training Sapphira. I have dealt with numerous deaths in the past few months, some of them within a week of each other. My family has been assaulted this past week, and my depression as been hitting me at an all time low. 
> 
> Now, I have a challenge for those who demand I update a new chapter when they feel they should have one, or for those of you who want to do this for fun. Write the next chapter and send me the link. It must have AT LEAST two thousand words, it MUST be entertaining, and it MUST have a lot of detail. It CAN NOT be something that has already been written about, or viewed (one of the episodes). Want to add some challenge into the mix? Put yourself in my shoes and go through everything I have gone through, then have people demand you write another chapter.
> 
> If you can't do that, or if you're not willing, DO NOT LEAVE ANY RUDE OR DEMANDING COMMENTS. I WILL BLOCK YOU.
> 
> On a happier note, I appreciate the comments that make me smile or laugh (sometimes both), and any suggestions are welcome. If I use your idea, YOU WILL BE GIVEN CREDIT.
> 
> Now...onto the new chapter!!!

_Shit, shit, shit,_ Cat Noir thought to himself as he sprinted over the rooftops of the thousands of buildings that littered Paris. Another explosion rang through the air, and he jumped just in time to avoid a shard of metal flying towards his chest. He had yet to see the akumatized victim-turned-monster, and he was already in danger? 

_That’s a new record,_ he thought bitterly.

Taking a small pitstop for air, Cat looked around. Ladybug wasn’t here, she should’ve been here, where is she? He didn’t hear her flying through the air. Is she hurt? Is she okay? Is she held hostage? Is she being controlled? Panic coursing through his veins, Cat Noir sped off across the rooftops once more. 

Spider webs.

That’s the first clue he received the closer he got to the monster. A chill ran down his spine as he pictured the eight-legged little creeps. Adrien always found them in his shower, on his game controllers, his computers, and one even recently fell in his dinner. 

He didn’t like spiders.

Gripping his staff, Cat Noir cautiously walked deeper into the web. His green eyes darted about, watching for any movement other than his own. His ears twitched, and he found that he’d rather have an evil cackle or a shitty, evil line than complete silence.

“Ladybug?” Cat finally called out, careful to keep his voice low. 

Silence.

“Strange,” he murmured. “Even at this late at night, she’d be the first one here.” Cat Noir walked deeper, careful not to touch a web. He faintly remembered from his biology class that spiders could tell if they caught their prey from the movement in the webs. 

_Prey._

He didn’t like sounding like he was something’s prey.

“Cat Noir, _help me!!”_ Ladybug screamed from the distance. Momentarily forgetting about his thoughts, Cat Noir sprinted towards her scream, thankful for his night vision. He dodged each strand of web, jumping out of the way as a stream of webs were hurled towards him. 

“You’ve cat to be kitten me!” he cried, chuckling at his own pun. He could just imagine Ladybug rolling her eyes. A mail truck exploded next to him, sending him flying through the air. Cat Noir let out a gasp when his back slammed against a building, every breath in his body forced out of his lungs. He cringed when he saw he was stuck on a web.

“Finally, the other hero arrives,” a voiced purred darkly. The cat-like hero whipped his head around as much as he could to see who the voice belonged to. A smooth chuckle turned his attention upwards, where a spider sat only a mere ten feet away. Cat swallowed thickly, seeing how _huge_ this spider was. “What, cat got your tongue?” the spider asked, slowly beginning its descent. When the spider got closer, Cat saw it had a woman’s torso where the head and neck should be on the spider. The woman had short, black hair with red streaks, her eyes were a deep red, and her skin was as pale as snow. Three sets of smaller double red eyes sat above her original two, and four very sharp-looking fangs rested on her bottom lip.

“Where’s Ladybug,” Cat Noir demanded once he found his voice. The spider-like woman sighed, running a clawed hand over her face.

“You’re really going to worry about a little insect instead of your own safety?” she asked, sounding a bit bored. Cat Noir could only stare, his voice caught once more in his throat. “Why worry about her, when she doesn’t even worry about _you?”_ The hero opened his mouth to retort, but hesitated. When _had_ Ladybug ever worried about him, other than when she needed help? He was always the distraction of the two, always putting _his_ life in danger, _his_ life on the line, when all she really did was use her Lucky Charm to save the day?

“You’re wrong,” he growled, looking away. The spider laughed.

“Am I, though? She wasn’t even concerned about you when I wrapped her up. She was only concerned for this city. Not once did Ladybug mention you. You’re nothing to her, Noir. Nothing but a tool she can just throw away. Then again, did she ever really need you? She’s the true hero, here. Not. You.” Cat Noir clenched his jaw, squeezing his eyes shut. He tried to block out her alluring voice, focusing on what his gut was telling him. He knew what she was saying was wrong, very wrong, but he couldn’t help but wonder if her words held even the tiniest bits of truth.

“She wouldn’t do that. She cares about me,” Cat Noir protested weakly. He felt a smooth hand cup his chin, his eyes flying open in shock. Green eyes met red eyes, and the hero felt he couldn’t look away no matter how hard he tried.

“Think again,” she hissed. “Now, just do me a favor and shut the hell up.” Before he knew what was happening, Cat Noir was wrapped head-to-toe in thick web.

***

It had been days since Nathanaël had seen Adrien. Missing person fliers for not only him, but for twenty-three citizens had gone out, including one for Marinette. Mr. Agreste had ceased all fashion projects in the sake of finding his son, and Nathanaël spent his days ignoring his classwork and homework, only to focus on trying to find his housemate. His cyan eyes would scan every newspaper and article online to see if any there was any word on the missing people.

Outside the mansion was the most dangerous place to be. With no superheros to cleanse the akumas, the akumatized victim was free to do whatever she had pleased. Spider webs covered almost every inch of Paris, and hundreds of families were trapped inside their homes. Within those few days, a mansion as big as Adrien’s was still as suffocating as a small cage. 

The only good thing to come from the situation was that Hawk Moth didn’t have Ladybug and Cat Noir’s miraculouses. Black Widow, the akumatized victim, had wrapped each of the victims so tightly, she couldn’t determine who was who. The complexity of the knotted webs were even too difficult to untangle or break. Nathanaël could only guess that Hawk Moth wasn’t too happy about this, but with every citizen hiding in the safety of their homes, he couldn’t find another victim to akumatize.

“Nathanaël, are you still staring at your computer?” a voice piped up. The artist turned in the spinney chair he sat in to see Natalie standing in the doorway. He noticed the agent looked more tired than usual. Her normally sun kissed skin was sickly pale, her intelligent eyes were filled with exhaustion, fear, and worry, and her hair, which was always brushed and smoothed back, was disheveled and greasy. All in all, she looked terrible. Nathanaël knew how she thought of Adrien as her own child, and it was heartbreaking to walk in on the woman sobbing, believing that the blonde haired male was as good as dead. 

“Yes, Ma’am,” Nathanaël replied. His butt was sore from sitting at the computer for three days, only getting up to use the bathroom, shower, change clothes, or brush his teeth. Other than that, Natalie couldn’t force him to do anything else. All of his time was used researching the missing people and where they might’ve been held.

“You need to eat,” the agent said, her voice emotionless. Nathanaël shrugged and turned back to the computer, his cyan eyes burning from the glow. Nope, still no word about the missing people. “Nathanaël, it’s an order.”

“I’ll eat when they come home,” he retorted. Natalie sighed, and Nathanaël could hear her rubbing her face.

“Who knows when they’ll come home?” she said, her voice cracking. “They may never return ho-”

“Shut up,” Nathanaël snapped, glaring hard at her. Natalie’s mouth snapped shut, her tired eyes wide as she stared at the artist. “They’re coming back. I know they will. Don’t just fucking assume they’re never coming back. They’ve asked the American army to send help, and they’ll be here within the week. So stop fucking saying the missing people are done for!” He panted, his hands shaking from rage. Natalie said nothing, still staring at him. Nathanaël stood, grabbing a box of cigarettes. “I’m going for a smoke,” he growled, shoving his way passed her. Instead of going to the balcony, Nathanaël climbed to the roof, wanting to see the night sky. He figured it would be the only thing that remained normal in the hellish events that were occurring.

With a sigh, he lit a cigarette.

It had been a while since he last smoked, especially since Adrien wanted him to stop. He respected his friend’s wish, but right now, he felt it was the only thing he could do to calm himself. Nathanaël’s eyes scanned the city, noting how dark it was, and how the streets were deserted of people. Instead, they were crowded with thick spider webs. Furrowing his eyebrows, Nathanaël leaned forward. 

_How did I miss this?_ Nathanaël thought in surprise.

An old food factory, which had been shut down for as long as the artist could remember, was covered the most with webs. He racked his brain for any ideas, starting upwards when he had one. Adrien owned a few of those weird flying drones. If he could just get his hands on one and hook up the camera to his laptop, he may be able to see if the victims were being held captive there. With that thought in mind, Nathanaël sped back into the mansion, ignoring Natalie and Mr. Agreste’s confused statements.

“Not now!” he yelled back to them, throwing Adrien’s bedroom door open. He glanced around, spotting one on top of his dresser. Without a second thought, Nathanaël grabbed it and ran back to his room, syncing the camera to his laptop before throwing the drone out his window, watching it fly into the inky darkness. Staring intensely at his screen, the artist directed the drone to the factory. It took exactly six minutes and forty-three seconds to reach the factory at ten miles an hour. Nathanaël figured he would have to run full speed to arrive, only it’ll take a longer time since he could roughly run at five miles an hour. Having asthma sucked ass, and the fact he smoked only made it worse.

“What’re you doing?” Gabriel spoke up behind him. Nathanaël jumped, but didn’t turn around.

“I’m checking to see if my hunch is correct,” he replied, speaking faster than usual. He heard Gabriel walk up behind him, peering over his son’s friend’s shoulder to see what he was doing.

“Is that the old food factory?” Mr. Agreste questioned, uncertainty in his voice. Nathanaël nodded, directing the drone to get closer to the windows.

“Yeah. There’s more web surrounding it, so I’m wondering if Adrien might be there,” he informed. Gabriel nodded, taking a seat next to the artist. Said artist watched the screen as it got closer to an open window. He smirked when the drone slipped in undetected. “Now, if I were a giant spider, where would I keep my food?”

“What?” Gabriel asked, eyeing the boy warily. He didn’t like thinking of his son as something’s _food._

“Thinking out loud,” Nathanaël replied, oblivious to the look the fashion designer was giving him. Turning the drone back and forth, he carefully led the drone out a door and into a large, bare room. That is, it was bare of any machinery that might’ve inhabited the factory decades ago.

“Wait, to the right,” Gabriel said, pointing to the screen. Nathanaël turned the drone to the right, and lo and behold, twenty-three human-shaped web sacks were stuck on a giant web. The artist and the fashion designer stared in shock, eyes wide.

“They’re there,” Nathanaël mumbled after a few moments of silence. Gabriel nodded silently. “We need to-”

“No,” the older man interrupted, his voice stern. Nathanaël looked up at him in shock.

“Why?! Your son’s in there!” Gabriel frowned at him.

“It’s too dangerous. We must contact the authorities right away.” Without another word, Gabriel left the room, swiftly closing the door with a _click._ Nathanaël frowned at the closed door, his eyes darkening with slight anger. How dare he? His son is out there, and he’s not wanting to do anything? Just run to the authorities, whom are too scared to even step out of their own damn houses? **Hell. _No._**

Nathanaël isn’t going to wait another day.

He brought the drone back, instantly changing his clothes to black jeans, a black shirt, and a black hoodie. He found black gloves and a black beanie in the closet, deciding to wear them to hide his pale hands and fiery hair.

“Nathanaël, are you in there?” a voice called. _Shit, it’s Natalie,_ Nathanaël realized, his heart skipping a beat.

“I just got out the shower!” he yelled back, his heart pounding in his throat. He heard Natalie wish him a goodnight before walking away. Letting out a breath he didn’t know he was holding, Nathanaël silently slid the window open and climbed out. Dizziness clouded his hind, but the artist swallowed his fear and carefully began his descent. Once his sneakers hit the ground, Nathanaël booked it towards the factory, avoiding the strings of web and already huffing. He was halfway there when he stopped, leaning against a building to catch his breath. His eyes darted around, looking for any sign of the spider.

Nothing. Good.

With a sharp inhale of breath, Nathanaël took off again. The only sounds he could hear in the night air were his shoes pounding on the pavement, his blood rushing in his ears, and his heavy breathing. Every second it took for him to reach the factory, the harder it was for him to breathe and the harder his heart pounded in his chest. 

He arrived within minutes.

“Holy shit,” Nathanaël panted, resting his hands on his knees, “I’m never doing _that_ again.” He nodded to himself, looking up at the factory. It looked bigger and creepier than it did through a screen. “Here goes nothing,” he mumbled, looking for a way in. The front door was blocked with web and chunks of broken brick wall, and the only entrance he could see was through a broken window, and boy, did those shards of glass look sharp. Sucking in a breath to calm his heart, Nathanaël climbed up ivy that ran up the side of the factory, quickly reaching through the window. He ignored the glass cutting into his hands, carefully maneuvering his way to the stone floor, not stopping until both feet were on the floor beneath him.

“I know, Hawk Moth. I’m on it,” a voice cut through the darkness. Nathanaël froze, his eyes wide. Careful to not touch a web, he knelt behind a broken brick pillar, peeking out from behind it. Black Widow came into view, looking irritated as a familiar moth-shaped, purple line glowed around her eyes. She paced, listening to the man in charge speak in her mind. “I’m fully aware someone was on the streets. They broke one of my webs.” Nathanaël looked down, his heart sinking when he saw a broken web attached to his shoe. 

_Fuck me sideways,_ he mentally hissed. He looked back up when Black Widow stopped pacing.

“Yes, sir. I’ll circle the area and take down the citizen. Yes, I know. He must be caught. It will be done, sir,” she said, frowning more when the moth emblem disappears. Without a word, Black Widow scurries out of the factory, in search for her next victim. Nathanaël waited until she was well out of sight before coming out of his hiding spot. Using his phone as a flashlight, he walked deeper into the factory, mentally mapping out the building. It was different than when he directed the drone inside. Time seemed to slow down as continued his trek, climbing over smashed building parts and tangles of web.

 _There they are,_ Nathanaël thought, relief washing over him when he saw the web sacks. He looked around for something sharp, a knife, maybe, to cut them down. When he could find no such thing, he carefully made his way to the giant web.

“I’m going to get you all out of there,” he whispered, shoving his hand into his pockets. His pale hand grasped a small, thin, tin box. The artist pulled it out, and with a smirk, flipped it open. His thumb gripped the small gear and flicked it, a small flame bursting to life. Without a second thought, he held the lighter near a sack, watching as it burst into flame. The web disintegrated to nothing but ash, Adrien slumping to the floor. Nathanaël watched with wide eyes as something small and cat-like tumbled out from under Adrien’s shit. He was so shocked, he dropped the lighter and hid behind a pile of rubble.

“Oh, god,” the little cat thing mumbled, rubbing its head. Emerald green eyes opened, peering around. “Hey Adrien, where are we?”

“I don’t know,” the blonde mumbled, sitting up as best he could. He looked around, his movements slow. Nathanaël peered at them from behind the rubble, careful to stay out of sight. “I...I think we’re in the spider’s nest.”

“No kidding. We need to get out of here.” Adrien nodded and stood, wobbling on his feet. The redhead watched as his housemate held out his right fist.

“Plagg, claws out!” Adrien yelled. Nathanaël could only watch in shock as Adrien transformed into one of Paris’ most beloved heroes.

 _Cat Noir…!_ Nathanaël thought, his eyes wide. Cat Noir looked around, his tail-like belt swishing back and forth slightly from behind him.

“...nineteen, twenty, twenty-one, twenty-two. Twenty-two people are in here, considering they _are_ people, and the spider is nowhere to be seen,” Cat mumbled to himself, his expression as serious as death. “If I was trapped in one of the sacks, how did I get out?” The hero stopped as his boot scraped the metallic lighter against the ground. One of his ears tilting in curiosity, he knelt and picked it up. Nathanaël swallowed thickly, his heart pounding in fear. He turned to leave, only to come face-to-face with Black Widow. 

“Got you,” she hissed, one of her long legs grabbing him. He let out a loud scream, thrashing around and trying to get free. Cat Noir’s head snapped up, his eyes widening when he saw Nathanaël being wrapped in a web.

“Hey! Why don’t you put the civilian down and pounce to my level?!” he yelled, pulling out his staff. Black Widow glared at him, throwing the redhead clear across his room. Nathanaël crashed to the ground, tumbling and unable to free his arms to stop himself from rolling any further. Cat rushed at the spider, the lighter clenched in his free hand. In his right hand, he gripped his staff, swinging it at Black Widow’s legs. She jumped out of the way, shooting a string of web at the hero. Said hero jumped out of the way, clenching his jaw. Nathanaël watched as they danced around each other, swinging staffs and shooting webs, neither of them landing a hit. Try as he might, the artist couldn’t escape the web. He looked up and met Cat Noir’s eyes. The hero was in danger, and if they continued this pitiful dance, Cat Noir was sure to tire and be captured once more. Glancing around, Nathanaël noticed a brick pillar which looked like it was about to collapse. As if reading the redhead’s mind, Cat Noir turned his gaze to the pillar, and smirked.

“Give up now, pussycat. Show the civilian how useless you are without Ladybug!” Black Widow hollered, looking as calm as if she had been walking around in a flower field rather than fighting. Cat Noir, on the other hand, looked extremely exhausted. Nathanaël could only imagine what he was going through, going without food for almost a week and forced to fight a supervillain. Anger flashed against the hero’s features, and it was clear the villain has struck a nerve. She smirked.

“D-Don’t give up, Ad-Cat Noir!” Nathanaël yelled, his voice shaky. He had almost called out his civilian name, and knowing what it was like to be akumatized, he knew Hawk Moth was more than likely listening closely. A hopeful look sparked in Cat Noir’s eyes as he glanced at the artist, determination soon replacing the hope. Nathanaël glanced at the pillar before giving him a curt nod, his lips pressed into a straight line. Cat returned the nod, frowning at Black Widow.

“Cataclysm!” Cat Noir thrust his hand into the air, an inky darkness surrounding it. He lunged at Black Widow, whom sidestepped, easily avoiding his attack.

“You’ve gotta be kidding me! You’re the most useless hero there ever was!” she laughed, tears pricking her eyes. Eight red eyes widened in shock when Cat Noir touched his glowing hand to the pillar. Bricks exploded, and a loud rumbling filled the air as it collapsed. Black Widow tried to move out of the way, but was trapped under the fallen pillar. Cat ran to Nathanaël, kneeling down to him.

“How do I get you out of here?” he asked frantically, his green eyes wide. The artist nodded to the lighter, which was still gripped in the blonde’s left hand.

“The webs are flammable. Use the flame to get me free,” Nathanaël instructed. Cat Noir nodded and did so, helping the male to his feet. “I’ll get the others free, find Ladybug, and let her cleanse the butterfly. Do you think you can destroy the akumatized item?” Cat Noir had a sour look on his face at the mention of Ladybug, but nodded.

“What do you think it is?” he asked the civilian, passing the lighter to him. Nathanaël shrugged, his cyan eyes clouded in thought.

“I have no idea. I was too busy trying to get everyone out.” He looked up at the hero. “Also...Thank you. You’re my favorite out of you and Ladybug,” Nathanaël admitted, pink dusting his cheeks. He turned and began to light the web sacks on fire, ignoring Cat Noir’s surprised expression. The hero smiled, warmth flooding through him before turning to Black Widow, whom was fighting tooth and nail to get out from under the pillar. He scanned the villain, concluding that a small anklet around one of her ankles was the trinket holding the diseased moth. With a smirk, Cat Noir grabbed it, but a mason jar caught his eye. He ignored Black Widow’s screams and curses, ignoring Nathanaël helping the missing people out of their webbed jails. He ignored the confused voices and he ignored the thoughts that plagued his mind. Cat Noir may not be the best hero, and he may not even be as loved as Ladybug, but he was content knowing that someone out there had his complete trust. With that thought in mind, and a smile gracing his features, he destroyed the anklet, quickly capturing the purple butterfly in the jar. Nathanaël looked over once everyone was freed, smiling at the hero. He walked over and helped the young lady, an arachnologist, to her feet.

“Where am I…?” the young woman asked, blinking her red eyes.

“You’re in the abandoned food factory,” Nathanaël explained. He thought she looked familiar, but he didn’t know why.

“Amelia!” an excited voice yelled. Three heads turned to see Juleka running towards them, tears in her eyes. Both boys watched as they embraced.

“Are you okay?” Amelia asked, frantically examining Juleka. 

_Ah, that’s why Amelia looked familiar,_ Nathanaël thought. _Sisters._ He smiled, watching their reunion. When asked what had happened, he happily explained the events, glad they wouldn’t be discovering the news through a family member or the news. Looking around, he noticed Cat Noir was comforting the victims, and Marinette was nowhere in sight. He had remembered helping her out of the web, looking bleary eyed and confused. That’s when it hit him.

Marinette was Ladybug.

Of _course._ How could he have been so stupid? She had never been akumatized, and always made up one excuse or another as to why she suddenly disappears after a new villain was formed. It also explained why she’s always late to school, and why he’s seen her go to the principal’s office for sleeping during class. Was he an idiot or something? Was he the only one who didn’t figure it out, or does no one else know?

“Is everyone alright?” Ladybug spoke up, standing on a balcony. Cries of glee echoed throughout the room, and Nathanaël could barely resist rolling his eyes.

“M’lady,” Cat said forlornly. Ladybug smiled and looked over at him. 

“Glad to see you, kitty,” she said, hopping down. The artist noticed the way Cat clenched his jaw.

“I have the akuma. Let’s hurry up and cleanse it,” he replied, not meeting her eyes. Ladybug blinked, but nodded.

“Release it,” Ladybug demanded. Cat Noir wordlessly opened the mason jar, watching as it fluttered in the air. “Miraculous Ladybug!” Nathanaël watched in awe as she swung her yo-yo, catching the purple bug. “Got’cha!” She opened her yo-yo, watching as a white butterfly flew out the window. “Bye bye, little butterfly,” she mumbled. Nathanaël looked over at Cat Noir, noticing how his usually confidence demeanor was gone, and his shoulders slumping.

“I have to go,” the cat hero said, disappearing into the night. The blonde heard his civilian name being mentioned, mentally cursing as he shed out of his hero outfit. Adrien, with a heavy sigh, walked back in, hoping to blend in by looking dazed, which wasn’t too hard for him.

“Adrien, there you are!” a familiar redhead said. Ladybug looked over and blushed, her bluebelle eyes wide. Adrien smiled over at his housemate.

“Hey, Nath...Where are we?” Nathanaël knew at that moment that the model was acting to keep his hero identity a secret.

“We’re in the abandoned food factory,” he explained. “I came to bring you home.” Adrien nodded, waving goodbye to those he knew before walking out a giant hole in the wall with Nathanaël.

“So, what happened?” Adrien asked the male besides him. He nodded as Nathanaël caught him up with the recent events.

“You should’ve seen Cat Noir, Adrien! He was totally awesome!” the redhead gushed, fully aware that he was gushing to Cat Noir himself. Adrien looked over in surprise, his green eyes bright. Nathanaël continued, “He was kicking that spider’s ass, jumping at least ten feet in the air and fighting her! I think I’m going to draw him when we get home. What do you think?” Adrien blinked, having been too surprised to respond. “Well?” the artist pushed.

“I think it’s a really good idea,” the model finally responded. He listened as Nathanaël continued to talk about Cat Noir, pride swelling in his chest.

“Then, he found the akuma and-oops, sorry, sir,” Nathanaël said to an old man. They had appeared to bump into each other, but before Adrien could see who it was, the elderly man had disappeared around a corner. “...Anyways,” the artist continued slowly, “Cat Noir destroyed the akuma and had this _amazing_ idea of keeping it in a mason jar! isn’t he totally badass?” Adrien laughed.

“Well, it also sounds like you were a great help to Cat Noir,” he said to the artist, hiding a small smirk when said artist blushed. “Sly, even. Like a fox.”

“Oh, I don’t know about that…” Nathanaël mumbled. The boys continued their trek home, chit chatting as if the past week had never happened. It wasn’t long before they arrived at the mansion.

“Adrien! Thank god you’re safe!” Natalie cried, running out of the mansion and hugging the blonde male. Nathanaël smiled at the reunion, watching as Gabriel came out and gave his son a hug as well. After a light scolding from both adults to the redhead, they all retreated indoors to have a plate or two of dinner. Adrien and Nathanaël ate eagerly, neither of them having a bite to eat in days. As if nothing happened, the boys bickered and teased each other, even managing to have a small food fight. 

“Alright, alright, you win,” Adrien laughed. Nathanaël put his mashed potato-filled spoon down with a smirk.

“So, you finally agree that Cat Noir is a total badass, and Ladybug sucks ass?” he challenged. The model sighed.

“Fine, fine, whatever. Cat Noir is totally better than Ladybug at everything they do,” Adrien surrendered. Nathanaël’s smirk grew, but it was wiped with a yawn.

“Welp, I’m off to bed. See you at breakfast.”

“See you,” the model replied, watching the redhead leave. Nathanaël stretched as he yawned, making his way to his bedroom. He was filled with glee as he discovered he hadn’t gotten lost this time around, which was a relief. He stripped himself of his clothes, freezing when he felt something in his jacket pocket that _definetly_ wasn’t there before. Nathanaël pulled out a small black box, tilting his head in confusion and curiosity. With a shaking pale hand, he pulled the top off.

Inside was a hook-shaped, orange and white necklace that oddly looked like a fox tail.


End file.
